Tuesday, 30 June 2015

It was a gorgeous sunset yesterday. The pinks and blues were so soothing, I could have stood out there till it was dark. I'll take inspiration where ever it appears and these colours certainly work in with the projects I have been doing lately. I like the wide range of shades, tints, and hues that come to mind when I think pink. From the palest pastel to the most vivid fuchsia, all pinks are good and some even great.

Needlework Tuesday is a regular weekly post where I share the
progress of my various needlework projects over the past week. I enjoy
the encouragement that I receive from my readers and in return visit
their blogs and cheer them on with theirs. You are welcome to grab the
cute little mouse and create your own Needlework Tuesday post. Leave a comment with a link and I'll be sure to visit with you.

Last week, Sherrie, one of my earliest readers, asked about working with chunky yarns. I usually knit and crochet with worsted weight, though lately I've been setting my fingers to chunky. I does take a bit of getting used to. The larger hook/needle size means that your project works up quicker. I've found some patterns call for only a slight increase in the tool size resulting in a very dense product. This is very hard on my hands and I don't usually like to stiffness. I much prefer a larger tool that gives a soft body. So much easier on my hands. The larger hook is easier to hold in crochet, but I am not as comfortable when knitting with the larger needles. In both cases, it does get easier as the project progresses and I get used to the feel. Working with chunky yarn is definitely worth trying as long as your tool size is large enough and not making a super stiff project.

I love the border stitch of the rug I started last week. It is comprised of front post double crochet alternating with back post double crochet. Easy to get the hang of after a couple of repeats. I did make a mistake which I didn't notice till the next round. Solution, I just skipped the extra stitch and it seems to have disappeared.

I am really happy with this project and can imagine myself making another.. It measures 37 x 22 inches, which is slightly smaller than the pattern. I used a 9 mm hook. Several family and friends have tested it, and all agree that is has a nice cushy feel beneath the foot.

After the success of this first rug, I had to start on a next one. This new one for daughter. She has a lot of hardwood in her new apartment and doesn't want cold feet on those winter mornings. It is basically a long scarf. The "One Skein Shoe Rug" by Art Fiend. I am using a ball of Bernat Softee Chunky Twist. It is three strands wrapped together: red, pink, and purple.

The cable pattern is fairly common and fun to work. it is unusual in that it has me knitting through the back of the stitch for the travelling cable stitches. Easy to do once I got used to it.

Along with the rugs, I am also interested in stitching/quilting some little bags. I want to use them as gifts, so not too big. I welcome your pattern suggestions.

Mister Linky is waiting below for a link to your current needlework project, or to a previous post showing a quilted bag.

Friday, 26 June 2015

First it was surrogate birth mothers, and now it's Necronites, surrogates for death. Jesse Sullivan is one of these, at the moment of another person's death, she can re-focus his or her life energy, keeping him or her alive while she 'takes' the death. After her body heals from the death injuries, her brain re-boots and she is once again alive. Every one needs a job, and Jesse is well equipped for this one.

Not every one is happy with the Necronites, specially the church. It is possible there are connected with the questionable events surrounding Jesse's latest job.

I found this a creepy and fascinating idea that someone else could take my death. I could have finished it in one sitting except for family obligations.

It's hard to know in this story who is dead, who should be dead and who could become undead. This makes for great plot twist possibilities.

Brinkley, her handler, Ally, her assistant, and her boyfriend Lane are great additions to the story line. They are very different from each other and help to bring out the various sides of Jesse's personalities.

I look forward to reading more of Jesse's story in Dying by the Hour and then in Dying for Her. At the time of writing Dying for a Living is free at some online ebook retailers.

Wednesday, 24 June 2015

When you move to another country, it's hard to explain your new life to those at home. Author Alan Parks has done a wonderful job of sharing the non-fiction story of his family's move to rural Spain to raise alpacas. His easy going writing style made me feel as though I was reading a personal letter from him.

He talks about the language challenges, the difference in cultures and the significance of the large expat community. I particularly enjoyed the tales of his adventures with his Spanish neighbours.

When I was a teen, my family moved to an island in the Caribbean, and my father and his partners started a scuba diving business. Mr. Parks had me reliving many of our experiences, some I had long forgotten.

I highly recommend this book to anyone considering such a move or who is curious about moving to a foreign country. The armchair traveller will also enjoy the stories and still be happy to remain safely at home.

Tuesday, 23 June 2015

I have a new, quick project on the hook, crochet hook that is. I'm using chunky yarn from Red Heart.

Needlework Tuesday is a regular weekly post where I share the
progress of my various needlework projects over the past week. I enjoy
the encouragement that I receive from my readers and in return visit
their blogs and cheer them on with theirs. You are welcome to grab the
cute little mouse and create your own Needlework Tuesday post. Leave a comment with a link and I'll be sure to visit with you.

I'm still having the feel for small, quick to complete projects. I do get a great feeling when I finish a project and it's been far too long since I finished a large quilt. Yippee for small projects. I started this one a few days ago and it's just flying along and it's living up to my expectations. The stitch of this pattern is easy and looks good and it feels good under my feet. Yes, it's a floor rug. For years I have been buying those foam backed mats for the hallway, but after a while, the foam starts to disintegrate and leaves a nasty dust behind. Yuck. Since i have the skills and the time, why not make my own mats and then they will be the colours and textures i want instead of what some anonymous buyer decides.

I am using a free pattern from Red Heart, the Hearth & Home Rug . It takes 4 skeins of their Super Saver Chunky yarn, though I'm sure that any chunky yarn will work.

I'm enjoying this so much, that i have already selected a second rug project. More details will follow on that one after I get started on it.

Have you knit or crocheted a rug or floor mat? I'd like to hear about this project, better yet, some photos would be great. Please add a link to Mister Linky of either your current needlework post or a rug you have made.

Wednesday, 10 June 2015

An edgy story of the abduction and escapes of fifteen year old
Bunny O'Toole. He can't imagine why this has happened nor why they keep asking about his dead grandpa and some anthem.

At first I was a bit thrown off by Bunny's poor spelling failure to understand what was happening. As I kept reading, I realised that he has had some challenges in life and in school. The writing style started to make a lot more sense and added realism to the story.

Whether he had anything to do with it or not, Bunny has got himself into a difficult set of circumstances that would seem fantastical if the explanations didn't make it so plausible. The skill of author Richard Scrimger shines through in his ability to make me believe this story.

The stories of Bunny and his six brothers/cousins starts in Seven (the series) and continues in Seven Sequels. Bunny's tale starts in Ink Me. This is a brilliant concept. Seven authors writing seven books with the same set of characters and backgrounds with plot lines that intertwine and converge at key points and on top of all that, they are published on the same date. In the past, it took years for one author to complete a series, now your child can read all the books while they are still in the recommended target audience. Two years later, they did it all again.

A suggestion to parents. These books would make wonderful party favours as the guests (kids) could trade with each other and read the entire series. You can read the books in any order as they cross reference each other's story lines.

Tuesday, 9 June 2015

Over the past few years I've been doing a fair amount of knitting and crochet. Mostly I use worsted weight yarns. I like this weight, it feels solid between my fingers and works up quickly, Bonus of using one size is that the remains can be used in other projects. I had lots of little bits sitting around and decided that a granny square afghan would be a great way to make use of them. To tie the colours together, I am using black after every 5th and every 3rd round alternately.

Right now it's about 23 inches along a side. I'll keep adding to it as time and scraps are available. It would be nice if it was bed size when I finally stop, but that would make for very long sides which might go against my attention span.

Needlework Tuesday is a regular weekly post where I share the
progress of my various needlework projects over the past week. I enjoy
the encouragement that I receive from my readers and in return visit
their blogs and cheer them on with theirs. You are welcome to grab the
cute little mouse and create your own Needlework Tuesday post. Leave a comment with a link and I'll be sure to visit with you.

Years ago, before I left for university, my mother gave me this large afghan. I still love the colours and daughter now has it one her bed.

One of my aunts made this for my son when he was a new born. i guess she was hedging her bet when she chose the colours.

Have you made a granny square afghan . i'd love to see a photo. Mister Linky is waiting below for a link to your granny project, it doesn't have to be a new post either.

Monday, 8 June 2015

The book starts in 1329, the same year that construction began on the Cathedral of Santa Maria de la Mer, in Barcelona, Spain. The son of a serf, Arnau Estanyol's life was difficult from his first breaths. His mother was raped by the wealthy landowner on the eve of her wedding . Later, his father was forced to abduct him and they fled to Barcelona.

As a young boy, he met and befriended a child, Joanet, who would become his best friend . Together, they explored Barcelona and learned of it's treasures and some of it's secrets. The most important to them was the church of the Virgin, The Cathedral of Santa Maria de la Mer was under construction and the two were fascinated. Their lives became entwined with the progress of the building.

I read this book steadily for a week, pushing aside other obligations to gain more reading time.

the cathedral of Santa Maria de la Mer

Themes in this novel include: love, longing for family, revenge, religion and honour. Arnau is an honourable man and one of the most widely respected of Barcelona's citizens. From his lowly beginnings offering water to the bastaix who were carrying stones for the cathedral, to that of Counsulate of the Sea (magistrate) he never looses site of his humble birth. He is the kind of man that I want to know.

A book this long also needs a villain. That roll is filled by the nobles, who are self centred, with no concern for those in their care (the serfs) , and no thought to the future. The Inquisitor of the Holy Office, Nicolau Eimerich, is a horrid person but so well written that I could actually imagine him presiding over the hearings.

I found the treatments of the Jews disturbing, though it is accurately retold from historical documents. Author Ildefonso Falcones based the book on a historical events though some liberties were made to accommodate the story line.

a bastaix carring a stone for the cathedral

This is a well written, in depth book that conveys the difficulties of life in 14th century Spain. The descriptive passages , particularly of the church, left me feeling as though I really was there. I highly recommend this book for fans of history and those interested in learning more about Spain.

Wednesday, 3 June 2015

I'm a bit late with my Tuesday post. oops, it does happen. I do have a good reason. I wanted to finish this afghan so I could show it to you. I think it was worth waiting for. I am happy with the results and look forward to passing it to my son along with the green one. He's been looking forward to presenting them to his friends before their babies are born. If you would like to view the green afghan and see how to wrap a baby in a star blanket, visit my earlier post.

Needlework Tuesday is a regular weekly post where I share the
progress of my various needlework projects over the past week. I enjoy
the encouragement that I receive from my readers and in return visit
their blogs and cheer them on with theirs. You are welcome to grab the
cute little mouse and create your own Needlework Tuesday post. Leave a comment with a link and I'll be sure to visit with you.

Thanks for visiting with me today. Mister Linky is waiting below for a link to your current needlework post.

Books & Quilts

I've been blogging here since 2007 and have finally found the perfect job. I am now a book seller at Chapters, the largest book store chain in Canada. This is helping to reach an even larger number of readers with whom I enjoy sharing my love of books.